Post Platinum
by pbow
Summary: This is what should have happened after "Tori Goes Platinum" and ended the show there. After all, Victorious was a show about a normal teen and her trip from obscurity to stardom.


I don't own the copyrights to the television show **Victorious**, or the characters or situations. They belong to Dan Schneider and/or Nickelodeon. I don't make any money off of writing this story.

Author's Notes: This is how I think the show, **Victorious,** should have ended, not with that travesty of a fourth season. Those last fifteen episodes (I'm including the last two episodes of season 3 after "_Tori Goes Platinum_") are lame comedy bits that had no actually bearing on the main focus of the show; That being Tori Vega's journey to becoming a pop/rock star. (And yes, I include "_Star Spangled Tori_" in that mess. What kind of friends don't come out in person to support Tori, but instead invade her house to watch it on TV?) Anywho, this is how the show should have ended, completing Tori Vega's journey from unknown high schooler to super star.

Xxxxxx

Post Platinum

Xxxxxx

"Gawd, I hate Hollywood sometimes," Tori Vega moaned as she peeked out the front door of her house and saw that the paparazzi were still camped out on the street, just waiting for her to step outside.

The media had been there ever since they'd followed her and her parents home the previous night after being escorted out of the Boomerang Theater under tight security. Tori now wished that she _hadn't_ given that post-performance interview to the press.

With Mason Thornesmith standing beside her and adrenaline still pumping through her veins after opening the Platinum Music Awards with the song '_Make it in America',_ Tori had nervously talked to the gathered press in the backstage interview room.

Thornesmith was immensely proud and pleased when Tori fielded simple questions like explaining a little about her background and what she'd sung to get the opening slot, but his elation turned to outrage when she started to explain, in detail, all about the ravioli incident at the restaurant a few days ago.

When Tori told the press about how she feared for the job when Mason threatened to replace her if she _didn't_ dress in stupid clothes or do case a scene, and had actually fired her at school the day before when she did go against his will by not dressing in the ridiculous squid costume, Thornesmith immediately fired her again in front of the fifty or so reporters and twenty-some video and still camera persons. Then he marched out of the room, followed by his two toady female assistants.

That's when pandemonium broke out and probing questions were fired at her left and right. Luckily her father (David Vega) stepped in, quickly gathered a few of the security personnel in the wings of the theater and swiftly escorted her out to the car.

Before entering the house, Detective David Vega immediately went in to police mode, hustling the press off his property with threats of jail time for trespassing. Tori's mother, Holly Vega, went inside and called the phone company, asking to have their telephone number immediately changed to an unlisted number.

When Holly Vega reached for the phone, she found the answering machine full to capacity with messages. Most of the calls left on the recorder were from reporters begging for an exclusive interview but there were a few messages from attorneys who wanted to represent her in a lawsuit against Mason Thornesmith for unfair labor practice, and some from record producers promising Tori the sun, the moon and the stars (and even a few planets, to boot) if she signed with them.

Now it was the next morning and hardly anyone got to sleep last night. Well, except for Trina. Ear plugs and an eye mask helped her fall fast asleep, even though she was a little envious of her sister's fifteen minutes of fame. (That's all Trina allotted, thinking fame was fleeting for Tori and that the appearance on the awards show was a one time thing for her sister; That Tori was a one hit wonder who would quickly fade into oblivion.)

David, Holly and Tori had spent the night weeding through the phone messages. Luckily, David recognized one or two of the attorney's names from working police cases with them, and suggested one or two to handle Mason Thornesmith. They couldn't decide on just who to trust concerning the record producers, but gathered the information anyway hoping one of Tori's teachers would be able to help out there. (David also made a call to the L.A.P.D. to have two of the calls traced from psycho-stalkers who had gotten through and left highly obscene messages about what they'd like to do with the lithe teen, and it didn't have anything to do with music.)

Tori and her father got up from the kitchen table, leaving their half eaten breakfasts, when there was a knock at the front door. When David opened it, he fully expected to face and possibly arrest some nosy reporter, but was surprised to see a Police Officer standing there.

"Hey Tom, what's up?" David asked, recognizing the officer from work.

"Sorry to disturb you Detective Vega," the Police Officer, Thomas Floyd (according to his name tag) started before he stepped aside to reveal five of Tori's friends. "We have the paparazzi settled down right now but these five kids insist they're your daughter's friends and needed to check up on her."

"Thanks, Tom," David said, immediately recognizing Beck Oliver, Jade West, André Harris, Cat Valentine and Robbie Shapiro. (With Rex in hand.) "They're Tori's friends and you can let them in." He looked past the group to see seven or eight of L.A.P.D.'s finest keeping the media in line out on the street and asked, "How many Officers are out there? I didn't call for any crowd control."

"You know it's standard procedure when there's a big story here in L.A.," Officer Floyd said with a big smile. "And you know we protect our own, so don't worry about it. A patrol car reported the media gathering and called it in early this morning. The ten of us have already arrested a few of the more aggressive paparazzi-types that tried to sneak around onto your back patio."

"Thanks, Tom," David said, shaking the Officer's hand with a growing sense of relief. "I hope this all blows over in a day or two."

"You know what will get them outta your hair," Tom Floyd stated more than asked. "You need to release a statement and hold a press conference. And the sooner, the better."

"Yeah," David said as he tiredly ran a hand through his brown hair. "We're working on it. Thanks again, Tom."

"No problem, David," the Police Officer said replacing his cap on his head and walking away to take up his position in crowd control again.

Meanwhile, Tori ushered her friends into the living room and greeted them. "Hey guys."

They all returned her greeting, André being the most forward as he laughingly commented, "Hey Tori. It looks like you're gettin' the full, celebrity treatment."

"Yeah," Jade vehemently cut in before the younger Vega sister could reply. "And all this fame shoulda been _mine!"_

"Jade," Beck softly chided his girlfriend and tried to comfort her by wrapping his arms around the raven-haired actress' waist. Jade shrugged out of his embrace and plopped down on the sofa, arms defiantly crossed over her chest, in anger and disgust. Beck let out a heavy sigh in resignation and sat down beside her.

"I don't know what to say," Tori flustered as she paced in front of the sofa, rubbing her head in worry. "I mean it's good that my performance went over well but I might have blown it when I told the press about how Mason was treating me."

"That _was_ the best part of the night," Jade snidely said with an evil smile as she pulled out her PearPhone and brought up a video of the press conference. "You _totally_ pissed Mason off and now he's in some deep chizz."

Before Jade and Tori could get any deeper into the soap opera-like angst they were in, André walked back from the kitchen table, holding a piece of paper, and asked, "What's with all these producer's names and phone numbers?" He handed the list to Tori.

"This?" Tori asked as she glanced at the list then gave it back to him. "That's just a list of supposed record producers that called last night who want to sign me up. Mom and dad think I should ask a few of the teachers to help me sort out the real ones from the creeps who just wanna take advantage of me."

"I can help you with that," André said, pulling a pen from his back pocket and started circling a few of the names. "I'll circle the ones I know are legit and put stars next to the names of the producers who handle the music you like to sing."

"That would be a biiiig help," Tori said in relief.

"Sure." Jade snidely snapped in disgust. "Let's all help poor little Tori out with her career. It's not like we're helping the _competition_ or anything."

"Actually, we're not," Beck said as he draped an arm around Jade's shoulders. "We're helping a _friend_ who just might help us get started in _our_ careers. André could definitely ride in on her coattails because they've written quite a few songs together and she could bring you and Cat in as backup singers. There have been a few backup singers who've done that to start a career of their own. Tori could also feature you and me as actors in her music videos. That could be some pretty heavy exposure."

"Yeah," André said, picking up on Beck's ideas. "And when Tori picks a producer, she can suggest your name to the other producers she rejects and give them your demo reel as a sorta peace offering for not signing with them. She could also mention that you were the backup act for the Platinum Music Awards if anything happened to her. That alone will interest a few of the producers in your work since that indicates that you _could've_ been the opening act."

"Reeeeeally," Jade said with a growing wicked smile. "That just might work."

"I thought you wanted to be an actress, not a singer," Tori observed to the raven-haired girl on the sofa. "Why are you so caught up on getting a record deal before I do?"

"I _do_ what to be an actress," Jade defensively said, her eyes growing wide at the implication that she only wanted the spot at the awards show to spite Tori and beat her to the punch in getting a record contract. "It's just that a record deal could lead to a juicy role in a movie like it did for Mariah Carey, J Lo and Justin Timberlake. I need to get my foot in the door somehow."

"Well I think we can all benefit from Tori's good luck," Cat finally spoke up as she pulled a small, clear sandwich bag from her cleavage and stated munching on a few tan-colored snack pieces from it.

"Caaaaat," Tori begged in a warning voice. "Is that Bibble you're eating?"

"Yes, but it's so gooooood," the cherry colored-haired girl whined and protectively hugged the bag to her chest. "And you can't have any."

André curiously inquired, "What happened to Oliver, your Bibble Bodyguard?"

"My dad found Oliver and me in the alley behind the theater eating Bibble when he came to pick us up last night," Cat said as she snuck a piece of the snack into her mouth. "So he fire him."

"Cat," Jade casually began. "Do you know where the name Bibble comes from?"

"Ah, no," Cat quietly squeaked, taking a quick glance at the bag in her hands before defensively clutching it to her bosom again.

A wicked smile grew as Jade informed her friend, "Bibble is a British term for small rocks and pebbles in a stream."

"I've been eating rocks?" Cat practically screamed in shock, tossed the sandwich bag to the floor and race over to the kitchen sink. She started frantically gargling and rinsing her mouth out.

"That was cruel," Beck observed to his girlfriend as Jade reached down, picked up the bag and started snacking.

"Yeah but," Jade said, her smile amping up to its full wickedness as she held up and examined a kernel of Bibble in her fingers, "it _might_ just get rid of her Bibble problem." She popped the sweet, crunchy tidbit into her mouth.

"Can someone take me to the hospital," Cat desperately inquired as she walked back over to the group, clutching her gut with both hands as if she had a tummy ache. "I don't want to have pebbles in my stomach so I should get it pumped out."

"Don't worry, Little Red," André jovially laughed. "That too shall pass."

"What's that suppose to mean?" Cat defensively yelled, not getting the veiled potty humor.

"It means," Tori said as she reached around and playfully patted Cat on the butt, "that it'll all come out in the end."

"Oh," Cat quietly said before she suddenly understood the two references. _"Oh!"_

"Are you kids alright in here?" Holly Vega asked as she came over and gave her daughter a supportive hug. "How are you doing, sweetie?"

Tori Vega glanced around the room at her five friends and smiled as she returned the embrace and said, "I think we're _all_ okay now, mom."

Xxxxxx

Mr. and Mrs. Vega and the six teens sat down and banged out a well-worded press release relating all that had gone on during the week leading up to the awards show. The details were general enough to satisfy the news-hungry reporters but vague enough not to spoil any litigation brought against Mr. Thornesmith in the future. After printing up a few dozen copies, everyone headed out to confront the media. (Except for Trina. She was still upstairs sawing logs up in her bedroom, getting her beauty sleep.)

David Vega led the gang out, quickly coordinating with the Police force to gather the reporters in an orderly manner. After a makeshift podium was erected for all of the microphones and the releases were handed out by Beck, André, Cat and Robbie, the news conference began. (Jade didn't help distribute the press releases, not wanting to be thought of as an underling or flunky of the rising star.)

Tori started out the press conference by announcing that she would _not_ do any one-on-one interviews until _after_ she'd signed on with a record company, and then only under the advisement of her manager. She then told the press that she was also seeking legal counsel to deal with Mason Thornesmith, but that it would take place at a later date.

Tori then fielded questions for twenty minutes, finally satisfying the media, at which time they all left vowing to get back in touch with her on the legal matter when it began.

When the press had all gone, Tori and her father thanked the Police Officers for keeping things safe and sane and saw them off to their regular duties.

As the teens entered the house they found that Trina had awoken, was hungry and suggested they head to Nozu for some morning sushi.

"Are you kidding?" Jade cut down the older Vega sister with a withering glare. "Mrs. Lee hates me and Tori. She's still upset that we left her daughter dangling during the opening night of my play."

"Yeah," André reminded Trina. "Even though she loved it when Tori and I sang at Hope birthday bash, she's still upset with _you_ for crashing the party and upsetting Hope's dad, Shawn Quincy."

"And she blames André and me for causing the earthquake," Tori quickly added, remembering the quake that knocked out André's horrible girlfriend. Mrs. Lee had confronted the duo after they'd sang again and adamantly claimed their raucous music was the real reason why there was so much damage done to her restaurant.

"Yeah," Cat said with a frightened look. "Mrs. Lee is totally mean and she was like that even back when she owned the Wok Star restaurant. I don't want to go there ever again. She scares me."

So the six teens decided that any restaurant owned or run by Mrs. Lee was now banned by their little group. Why should they continue to patronize any eating establishment where the owner/manager was rude and uncaring to their customers?

"She's not that bad," Trina yelled, threw her hands up in the air and stomped off to the kitchen to scrounge up something to eat. "You guys make me sick."

Instead of Nozu, Jade suggested they should go to Jet Brew for coffee and whatever pastries were available to celebrate the departure of the press.

Xxxxxx

Monday at school found Tori trying to catch up on all of the homework she'd bail on the previous week because she'd been so busy with rehearsals and everything associated with the award show.

After school, Tori, André and Jade met with someone from one of the record companies which the young musician had favored from the phone list. But when they got there, Vinnie Devious from Def Teen Records (a very high end record company that put out a lot of music for teens) seemed a bit shady. Tori told him she'd have to have her father, a Detective on the L.A.P.D., look over the contract before she could sign it.

That set Vinnie to backtracking on the offer and the teens left his office a little wiser about the music industry. They now knew that even the most profitable of record companies had a few disreputable producers in its ranks.

The meeting had taken very little time so André contacted another name on the list of record producers that'd called after Tori's appearance on the awards show. This one, Rod Preston of Nexus-Teen Records, was thrilled about the returned call and wanted to meet Tori and her friends immediately.

Jade was not impressed when the three teens walked into Nexus-Teen Records, which was actually just a regular old office in one of the many office buildings in Hollywood. There were no recording facilities and the few people working there seemed to be typical office drones. Tori had to agree with Jade's assessment and was about to leave when André stopped her, knowing a little more about the company than the two girls. Rod Preston came over to introduced himself and greeting all three teens by name.

After sitting the group down in what was obviously the break room, Rod explained about the lack of facilities. "Our main office is in New York and this is just a temporary workspace until we complete our new building in the San Fernando Valley. If you do sign with us, we'll either fly you to New York to record or we can rent out a studio here in Hollywood until our new studios are finished."

Jade bluntly cut in and ask, "How did you know our names?"

"Ah, right to the point, Jade," Rod said like he was unsurprised by the question. "The truth is, we've been following _all_ of your careers on you school's website. We _were_ planning on approaching you, Tori, André and your friend Cat shortly before you all graduated from Hollywood Arts, but the Platinum Music Awards blew that idea out of the water and moved up our schedule. You all are _very_ talented but we wanted you to graduate high school before starting your careers."

"I guess you coulda been watching us 'cause we _do_ have a lot of stuff up on _The Slap_," André laughed.

"That's true," Rod Preston said, laughing along. "And we do have a couple of talent scouts out here who have seen you sing at Karaoke Dokey a few times, and also at that birthday party at Nozu. I'm surprised Shawn Quincy didn't sign you two up on the spot. But then again, he mainly handles Rappers and Hip Hop artists so I guess it's understandable."

Mr. Preston handed out contracts to each of the three and spent the next half hour going over the finer points of the document with Tori. When she mentioned that her L.A.P.D. Detective father would have to look over the contract, Rod insisted she did, citing that she was still under eighteen years of age and needed her parents signatures on the contract to make it legal. (Something Vinnie Devious had never mentioned.)

Rod inquired about the possible litigation with Mason Thornesmith, having heard about it in the press conferences, and offered his company's legal services if they were needed. Tori thought that might be a better idea since the attorneys her father was recommending mostly dealt with crooks and thieves, not record producers who abused their employees. Again, Mr. Preston told Tori to talk it over with her parents before any decision should be made.

Rod then spent the next fifteen minutes talking to Jade and André about their possible contracts, glossing over most of the same clauses that were in Tori's contract. After the meeting was over, Rod offered them all a ride home which they declined (Jade had driven them there in her car) and told them that they could take their time discussing the offers with their parents. He also asked them to have Cat come in to discuss her possible signing.

"Well, what'cha all think?" André begged as they reached the car.

"This is all too good to be true," Tori blurted out, totally flummoxed by the meeting and fabulous offer.

"I like him," Jade said as she settled in the driver's seat and put her seat belt on. "Rod was straightforward and honest about the deal he's offering us and he's not pressuring any of us to sign."

"I agree," André solemnly nodded as he got into the back seat of the car. "I know Nexus-Teen Records is a solid company and he seems like a straight-up kinda guy. He even want us to graduate from high school and is willing to work around that until we do."

"I especially love that the company is affiliated with a few of the movie studios," Jade said as she pulled out of the underground parking lot of the building. "My mom might have a few things to say about the contract since she works with them in her job, but I think it's the best we're going to get since we're still so young. If mom approves, I'm gonna sign."

"Yeah," André chimed from the back seat. "If my parents say okay, I'm signing."

"Well, if you two are in," Tori said, feeling a little better about it all, "then I guess I'm in too, if my mom and dad agree to it."

The rest of the ride home was quiet. All three teens had a lot to think about and discuss with their parents.

Xxxxxx

"This all looks fairly straightforward to me, honey," Holly Vega said to her younger daughter as she scanned over the contract for a third time. "I can't see anything to contend, except maybe the length of it. And that's because it's only for two years."

"Rod said it's for that short of time only in case my music doesn't sell," Tori explained to her mother and father as they all sat at the kitchen table, discussing the deal. "If my career takes off, then we can renegotiate at any time."

"Don't you mean _when_ your career takes off, sweetie?" David jokingly jabbed at his daughter's lack of self-confidence. "But I must say I agree with your mother. When I read through the contract I couldn't find anything wrong with it. I especially like the fact that Mr. Preston offered the use of their legal department if you want to prosecute Mason Thornesmith for illegally firing you... twice."

"Yes," Holly said in disgust. "That man should _not_ have fired you the first time for simply going against the way he wanted you to dress, and then _forced_ you to cause a scene in the restaurant."

"And he definitely violated a few laws when he said he'd fire you if you told your friends about everything," David said, also angry about the way the record maven treated had his daughter like a piece of gaudy merchandise, instead of as a real living person. "That sort of thing isn't covered by employer/employee confidentiality in any kind of contract that I'm aware of."

The discussion was interrupted when Trina came bouncing down the stairs from her bedroom and asked, "What'cha all doing?"

Tori looked over her shoulder at her sister and answered, "We're discussing my pending deal with Nexus-Teen Records."

"You're signing with Nexus-Teen?" Trina almost shouted in surprise as she raced over to the table, snatched the contract out of her mother's hands and started frantically paging through it. "They're like the hottest record company out there right now. When I submitted a demo tape to them, all I got back was a letter saying I should never contact them again; That it was a total waste of my time and theirs."

"Trina, sweetie," David said to his oldest daughter, trying to word what he was about to say as gently and tactfully as possible. "You don't have the best singing voice out there so it's understandable that they turned you down."

"What do you mean?" Trina indignantly begged, slamming the papers back onto the table top. "I can sing just as good as Britney or Christina, and I can _definitely_ sing better than Tori."

"Ummm, no you can't Trina," Holly spoke up, finally fed up with her eldest daughter's talentless delusions. "Have you listened to yourself sing recently?"

Trina defiantly stated, "No I haven't and I don't need to. I can lay down a track perfectly the first time," she snapped her fingers, "just like that."

"Um, okay," Holly pondered just how to set her daughter straight. Then she had an idea. She turned to her younger daughter and asked, "Tori, would you set up the laptop on the piano and play something for Trina to sing?"

The younger Vega sister immediately realized what her mother was going to do and cheerfully chimed, "Sure, mom." She got up and moved the laptop computer that they had been using to check on a few of the clauses in the contract over to the piano and sat down, ready to play. "I'm ready," Tori said and turned to her sister. "How about you sing, "_Make It Shine_" like you were going to do in The Big Showcase?"

"Uh, sure," Trina shrugged and moved over to stand next to the piano with her mother and father standing a few feet away from her. She cleared her throat and told her sister, "Take it from the top."

Tori quickly turned on the record function on the computer and then started to play.

Trina took a big breath and started to sing a second before she was suppose to, and totally off key:

"_Here I am, once again_

_Feeling lost but now and then_

_I breath it in and let it go_

_And you don't know where you are now, _

_Or what it could come to_

_If only somebody could hear  
When you figure out how_

_You're lost in the moment, you disappear."_

"That's enough," David said, stepping in and shutting off the record function. "I think you just proved our point."

"What do you mean?" Trina practically howled in indignation. "That was perfect."

"I... don't think so," Tori winced as she cued up the recording and played it.

Two lines into the playback Trina went ballistic and yelled, "That's not my voice! There must be something wrong with the computer!"

Without saying a word, Tori started the record function again and sang the same words as her sister. She played it back and it sounded perfect.

"Wellll," Trina tried to rationalize. "Maybe my voice was a _little_ off."

"Face it sweetie," David said as he and his wife each draped a consoling arm over their eldest daughter's shoulder. "You _can't_ carry a tune in a hand basket."

Tori saw the crestfallen look on Trina's face and immediately felt sorry for her sister. She and her friends had been gently trying to dissuade Trina from pursuing a singing career for the past few years and had failed miserably. Trina was just too delusional about her talent to believe that she _couldn't_ sing. Tori knew she had to say something to cheer Trina up so she blurted out, "But you _are_ a great comedic actress, just like Robbie wrote in his review of your one woman play."

"Yeah," Trina suddenly perked back up, remembering the play she'd done a few years ago. "I _was_ good in it, wasn't I? And that was the play I wrote myself. Damn I'm good."

"There you go, sweetie," Holly said with a motherly pat on the back to her oldest daughter. "And maybe Tori can find a role for you when she does her first movie or TV show."

"You got a movie deal, _too?"_ Trina indignantly begged, turning on her sister.

"Well," Tori shied from the news she was about to deliver, not wanting to show up her sister any more than she already had. "There's a clause in the contract that sez they'll seek out a few movie and TV roles that'll help boost my singing career."

That set Trina off again. As she angrily stomped off up the staircase, she hollered, "Why does Tori get all the breaks?"

David Vega deadpanned, "That went well," as he watched his eldest daughter throw yet another egotistical hissy fit.

Xxxxxx

It was finally Friday afternoon and Hollywood Arts High School was letting out for the last time that week. Tori had finally caught up with all of her homework that she'd let lapse the previous week while dealing with the Platinum Music Awards and was overjoyed with that fact. She'd met with the Nexus-Teen legal attorneys on Tuesday and had given them a deposition concerning _all_ that had gone on with Mason Thornesmith and the show. They, in turn, had met with Mason and his assistants to try and work something out before forcing the suit to go to court.

In the beginning of the meeting which Tori had to sit in on, Mr. Thornesmith was adamant that he had every right to fire his employees, for _whatever_ reason, whenever he wanted. His case was greatly undermined when his main assistant, Chelsea, confirmed all of the allegations in Tori's deposition. Mason suddenly backpedaled in his feelings that he _may _have stepped over the letter of the law concerning employer/employee relations.

Fearing a very public court battle, Mason Thornesmith, on the advice of his lawyers, settled the dispute by handing over _half_ of the quarter million dollars in salary that he'd been paid for producing the show with the assurance that the allegations and terms of the deal would be kept confidentially sealed by all parties.

Cat Valentine and her mother had met up with Rod Preston on Wednesday and received her contract offer. The short, redheaded girl was way beyond psyched when she showed up at school the next day. Cat had again wore her Jupiter Boots and was bouncing around the hallways even more than the first time. In fact, Cat had been so psyched over the contract that Rex had dubbed her 'Hyper-Cat' and offered a few of Robbie's Valium pills to calm the redhead down. André joked that there weren't enough Valium in the whole city to calm Little Red down.

With all that had gone on over the last week, Tori was both happy and anxious that it was finally Friday. She was happy that she'd caught up on her school work and didn't have to be back at Hollywood Arts until Monday morning, but she was anxious because she, Cat, Jade and André were now suppose to hop in a limousine for a short ride to the record company offices to officially sign their contracts. (Of course Beck and Robbie wanted to tag along to lend moral support. Rex didn't really want to go, he had a date later on with a couple of Northridge girls, but he figured he would go with them just to see what all the hoopla was all about.)

The six teens and one... er... very abusive, short person enter the stretch limo sent by the record company and took off. Cat never really sat down in the plush seats, exploring the passenger area to the max. The cherry hue-haired teen found the mini fridge particularly fascinating but lost all interest in its contents when she opened the compartment next to it and found it full of Gummy Bears, licorice and other assorted candies. Cat quickly refilled her cleavage stash with the soft, sweets and doubled her normal state of excitement and wonder with a quick sugar rush.

Luckily for the rest of the Hollywood Arts students the ride was brief. As they exited the limo they were set upon by a small gathering of media that had been called to cover the contract signings. Pictures were taken and brief interviews given with the four new music stars before the teens were hustled into the building and taken up to the Nexus-Teen office.

When they entered the office, they were met by Rod Preston and their parents. After the brief hellos, Tori, Cat, Jade and André were hustled into the bathroom for a quick seat in a makeshift makeup chair (André included) and given a change of clothes; The new duds being a bit more hip and funky-fresh than what they'd worn to school.

As the four teens came out of the bathroom the picture taking began. Strobe flashes seem to go off every few seconds as the three still photographers and one video cameraman captured images of the four teens walking down a hallway, talking with their parents and friends, and finally sitting down at a huge table and signing the contracts.

Then it was time for the posed pictures. Cat, Jade, André and Tori were all photographed shaking hands with Mr. Preston and then they were subjected to having head shots taken for the individual press releases that were to be sent out to the different music, film and television magazines and newspapers.

"I'm glad that's all over with," Jade sighed as the photographers put their equipment away. "I don't think I could've held my fake smile for one second longer."

"That's what you get for being a gank," Rex jokingly jibed at the usually dour, moody girl. "If you smiled more often, it wouldn't hurt so much"

Before Jade could respond with a witty, cutting remark, (or maybe ripping off Rex' arms and legs) Mr. Preston approached the teens and pulled Tori and Jade off to the side for a private word. "Tori, I have something for you," Rod said as he pulled a check out of his shirt pocket and handed it to her.

"A check for ninet_y_ _thousand_ dollars?" Tori marveled when she got a good look at the check. "What's this for?"

"That's your settlement with Mason Thornesmith," Rod said with a beaming smile as he turned to Jade. "And this is for you." He pulled out another check and handed it to the raven-haired girl.

"Eight thousand dollars?" Jade asked with a shrug. "Why am I getting this?"

"That's your share," Rod Preston explained to Jade. "You were subjected to the same treatment by Thornesmith as Tori was so it's only fair that you receive part of the settlement especially since you were also fired for letting Tori take you place on stage." He turned to face both girls and continued, "We had to take a small cut of the settlement to pay for the lawyer's fees and such, but I think this is a pretty good deal for only a few days work for each of you."

Beck had overheard part of the conversation. He lightly laughed as he came over and glanced at the check in his girlfriend's hand. "That _is_ pretty good wages for just two days of work."

"You're absolutely right," Jade smirked, turned her head and gave Beck a quick peck on the lips. "It'll definitely come in handy when I get a few new clothes... or maybe a new car." She folded the check in half and stuck it in the cleavage of her black frilled shirt.

"I am definitely going to have to get my driver's license now," Tori cheered as she pictured herself in a snazzy new sports car driving onto the parking lot of Hollywood Arts with all of the students envying her and her new ride.

"I'll just hang onto this until we get to the bank," David Vega said as he walked over and snatched the check from Tori's hand, putting it in his inside blazer pocket for safe keeping. He and his wife had been told about the settlement earlier before the teens had arrived. He knew Tori would probably go nuts with all that money, so he added, "And well talk about just _how_ it'll be spent when we get home."

Mr. Vega turned to Rod Preston and asked, "Is that all you need Tori for today?"

"Yes, you all can go now," the record producer said. He quickly added, "But I must remind you all that no information is to be given to the press about the settlement. That information is strictly confidential and is covered by the contracts you just signed. But don't worry, we've already sent out a press release saying that the dispute has been settled for an undisclosed amount. If the media asks, just tell them you _can't_ comment and refer them to me or the record company."

"Oh, okay," Tori assured her new boss. "We won't tell _anyone."_

Cat just happened to walk up to the small group as Tori spoke, and asked, "Don't tell anyone about what?"

"About the..." Tori started to said before she remembered the Party Bus secret that Cat couldn't keep and started to worry if her overly perky friend had heard about the money from the settlement.

"About what, Tori?" Cat asked again.

"Ummm, before I tell you," Tori tentative started. "Did you happen to hear what Mr. Preston, Jade and I were just talking about?"

"Oh, no," Cat giggled, pointing to a table loaded down with sodas, finger sandwiches and such set up for the event. "I was over at the snack table."

"Oh, good," Tori sighed in relief that her short redheaded friend didn't hear about the settlement. "Anyway, the secret we're keeping is about... our new contracts. They're suppose to be kept quiet until our first records come out."

"Kay-kay," the cherry hue-haired teen chimed. "I won't tell anyone about our new contracts to sing and maybe make a few movies and TV shows, too."

"Exactly," Tori beamed, overjoyed that Cat would, true to form, forget about the promise and _immediately_ spread the word about all of their new careers.

-30-

That completes my take on the story that should've followed _"Tori goes Platinum"._ Review if you want to. I'll answer any questions you have but I'll stick by this tale. There's no way Tori _shouldn't_ have received numerous contract offers after opening the awards show and had preformed as well as she did. Either Thornesmith or another record producer should've _immediately_ had Tori cut a record to take advantage of the performance.


End file.
